A request for marten trappers .... I have wanted a trapper style hat of beautiful marten for a long time.

Specifically , thick and gorgeous coloured AK large marten . The darker sable browns , and the ochre yellows with deeper brown and black points and backs are both very attractive for me. I can alternate those deep brown hides against the more yellow ones.

Decent nice tails in length and rich brown/black , three of them, for the crown in the rear of the hat.

Also, any that have the deepest and brightest orange throat you have, I'd want too. The tassels at the ends of the ties sporting that bright gold/orange would make an amazing contrast against the soft deep browns , blacks and ochres of the hat. Even that throat patch cut from a hide that isn't from one of the bunch I will buy would be fine. Since the shorter fur from that area isn't used anyway in the body of those hats, if you have some hide sections that do have that bright colour, that would be great to include, if the furs that I would buy do not have it as Im desiring , for contrast.

What I would love, is sending five good furs to my furrier of choice to custom make one for me.

I am not in a hurry , this will be worth the wait for me.

If any of you hard working trappers have any fur already done and stowed away for future sale, or plan to trap marten this season, I would be interested either way. I would prefer marten trapped in either December and January .

It would be an honor for me to enjoy a hat from fur that I know and so appreciate where it all came from , and would be that much more special in its custom build.

Thank you for your time and consideration , and all the hard work you all do , in everything you trap.

Keep me posted, please, and watch for those marten you see with collars that have S for Sharon on them !

Hit me up at the end of December Sharon if your still looking, I could probably help you out.

Thank you, so very much, martenpine, for your kindness ! Splendid, and I look forward to that .

Also, I welcome anyone else who may see that they can contribute to my quest , as I understand different places offer colour variance, an open contribution in several possibilities, to what Im looking for.

No pressure that way, for anyone.

Several hands contributing to my enjoyment in my search.

I will be orbiting around your way the end of December then, martenpine ! Thank you again.

This journey is fun for me and I have already been learning about some of the different marten types in the world,even from south to north in the states and Canada, how their fur varies, and even behavior patterns and habitat differences. Thank you, Jack !

A beautiful work in art, being much more than just a hat. A unique path in life's education and fascination.

Generally marten with the "deepest and brightest orange throat" don't come from the darkest, nicest marten. The brightest orange , and the largest throat patches are found in marten from the lower 48 (martes caurina), they are quite a bit less expensive than Alaska marten too.

I'm attaching a picture I took a few years ago of some marten skins I have, the lighting was not good (incandescent which brings out the yellows).

Starting on the far left is a single Russian sable (Barguzin) the next two are from southeast Alaska, the next two from the interior of Alaska, the next three from Washington (caurinas) and the last single skin is from Sweden.

You'll notice that the Alaska have very small cream colored throat patches.

The last couple of years, I have taken a few odd ones.

Waggler, thank you for your photo ! I always enjoy observing the different types .

They are fascinating to me as I learn .

My favourite by far is Martes americana ( caurina) , and the ones from AK are my aim, indeed. Those big beautiful bodies, and long well furred dark tails.

Yes, in my learning about Martes zibellina, specifically from the Barghuzin region , in seeming to be preferred with buyers, with their shorter stubby tails, are pretty , but for me the AK critters have it, hands down.

Though with Jack's amazing observations of M. flavigula, I would be happy to own a couple of those big guys also. I doubt I will ever get to see one, much less have one in my possession to enjoy.

Stone Marten, Beech, yes, pretty, are others, with much lighter to Ivory throat colours .

I see exactly what you mean. Thats why Im more than willing to have thrown into the mix a cut from any marten with that bright orange/yellow patch, if possible. That contrast will look very stunning and artistic. If someone has an exceptional fur, with that very deep , bright, orange/yellow, that they insist on selling whole, well then, Ill buy the whole fur, and have the rest for my collection , or for my furrier to use , if needed.

I know surprises in colour variances occur in any area , too. Dark faces, for example, in AK along with the lighter grey tones.

Like AK Viking's !

What a prize you caught ! Look at that black face ! Makes those large white trimmed ears just shine . Deep black marbling with hints of ochre, and blue in the neck. Lovely !

Thank you both for those amazing educational shots . I really enjoy seeing them all.

Remember, look for the collars with the "S" on them , please

You should buy the fur in person at the Fling and fur sale.

Here is a couple different coloured ones Sharon.

Caldwellite, thats a great idea. Didn't think of that. It would be fun to go there . I have heard about it, and sometime Id love to. Thank you.

This time, Im thinking this trap season, someone may have some nice Alaskan marten for me , after this winter . And, appreciating where and whom they came from would be very special in custom enjoyment .

Boco, what a sweet photo ! That wee lass smiling out the window is priceless.

With that ermine , marten and fox outside !

Yes those two colours are strikingly different ! Thats just what Im hoping for too. I will alternate the colours to accent the hat.

Thank you all for the photos . It is exciting and educational - and fun . Sure enjoy seeing them all.

The above is a picture of a scarf made from Alaska marten. Plenty of variety in throat patches here.

What a unique and gorgeous scarf ! I dont think theres anything like that, which uses those wonderful colour throat contrasts like that- not that Ive ever heard of , or seen.

At times I have really wondered how that part of marten could be enjoyed in clothing .

I do see those varied nice colours. And you fit them so well all together , too.

I am hoping to find similar, nice tones in beautiful AK marten this winter . And I believe I shall

Thank you, Dirt, in sharing that lovely shot. Someone is surely so happy and proud to wear it.

Sharon here are a few examples of some nice throat patches from this years crop of marten from the eastern interior of Alaska. If you see something you are interested in P.M. me! Ted

Oh my , Ted, those are gorgeous ! Thank you for sharing your photo !

Thank you for your offer . I will keep these in mind, as meantime, I am in wait till the end of trapping season as well. I will be on lookout for nice yellow/orange patches to make the tassels in such great contrast with the browns of the hat.

Ill keep those in mind, Ted .

Interesting that you posted those black-grey marten Alaska Viking because I pick up one in southern Manitoba this year.

I know you've somewhat settled on the "look" of the marten you're after Sharon. Just thought perhaps you'd like to see a real oddity "throat patch".




Jack

Jack ! A one of a kind special individual indeed ! Feet and tail tip to match

Fur colour of that magnitude would make a splendid pair of tassels to stand out in stark contrast to the body of a hat....or even the hat itself , if it extended far enough into the body of the fur , cut and used .

You of all people surely have admired and mused over what unique circumstances transpire to result in such differences.

Thank you for the share - this goes for yourself as well.....if you trap any with what Im looking for, please inform me !

Amazing what a little peroxide will do !! Nice job !

So THATS how its done ?!

Always a fascinating learning curve for me with techniques ....Ill have to remember this, Sir Ken

My favorite part of marten - here's a hat from those beautiful colors!

As usual, well done, Bonnie!

Wow, Bonnie, those are beautiful colour combos !

I can envision clearly how those bright orange/yellow patches for the tassels at the tie ends will look against the deeper rich tones of the individual furs making up the hat itself.

I never knew marten could vary so much in coat colours, until I began my learning curve about them.

Thank you !

Got one today I think you will like, Sharon.

Wow, look at that bright throat colour ! As orange as can be . Like the browns mixed with the yellow ochre in the back. Looks like he has a snippet of ivory on his inside front leg too.

Very nice, AK Viking ! I have a folder dedicated to marten pics , Im putting this one in there along with the others .

Im collecting what I can , and will make the arduous decision in choosing at the end of the season.

Thank you !

Thanks.

Here is a not very good pic of throat patches.At least you can see they vary considerably.

Just wanted to show a couple MT marten, sure love trapping these

My goodness what fantastic shots !

Boco,what a nice bunch you have there ....youve been collecting them for sure ! They are all beauties.

MTtrap, wow those local marten are lovely ! Their whole underneath is continued bright, especially the middle. What a fluffed full tail the bottom one has ! They look to be a nice darker brown on top, too.

I am so very much enjoying this learning curve . I find it fascinating the world of marten and their variety in different parts of the country, even in different areas of AK too.

Well this new year is off to a grand start , and as explained to me, this month will tell in the summit of marten taken .

My biggest dilemma certainly has been in choosing ....I am waiting till the end of this season. I wish I could collect all the ones that have caught my eye ! I am collecting all the photos from here and from pm, into a folder on my screen top...to study along the way. I will be limited to a few , so it isn't easy to choose, I can tell.

Thank you all, so much, for sharing your catch !

Well, the season is wrapping up, and Ive got great prospects in the works with my fur choices. Ill keep it updated here, as things progress . The biggest challenge has been trying to choose, there are so many amazing colours and very cool combinations.

I sure do appreciate so much everyone who shared their catches in photos here. I will always be fascinated about these smaller creatures so full of energy and variety . Such an enjoyable journey of learning , never ending.

And thank you, all who so kindly offered to help me out in this quest in a unique hat from such lovely fur. I only wish I could have samples from everyone ! I have, however, found an amazing variety , all from Alaska , and in keeping them all together, will be easiest in sending to be tanned, and on to the furrier.

I just got the March issue of FFG, with a fascinating photo in the back, in the "End of the Line " section. I just have to share it here. The brightest orange Ive ever seen ! It seems like the real deal, in the colours of the man and backdrop. Just imagine seeing that brightness sailing in the trees !
No dark anywhere, on legs or tail.

Wonder what he will do with that one ? Id sure want to keep the whole skin intact !

Dang that would be one to have mounted or just keep the skin hanging on the wall.

I have one like that, and it is indeed a lifesize mount. A friend of mine caught it about 20 miles from my line, as the crow flies.

Please feel free to share that here if you'd like !

Couple twins here from the same lake. Just different colour on the head and shoulders. Not much for a throat patch though.

What dark beauties, Ryan ! I do really like those dark sable browns, with a dark dorsal and shoulders . I have two very dark ones chosen similar to yours that will be perfect against the lighter tones for contrast.

What is so fun, is you never know what you're going to get with the varied throat colours . Lights and deep dark ones can have very bright orange patches , or very white , or ivory. Some a lot, others hardly at all.

One thing Ive noticed, is the orange/yellow throats look brightest against a deep dark brown body , such as the ones you are showing. But in comparing the orange tones to lighter bodied marten, I notice that the intensity of the orange can be just as bright in itself, it just doesn't pop in contrast as it does on the darker ones, hence giving the impression of being more washed out or lighter in orange tone.

AK Viking's latest share is simply outstanding in its orange brightness with his marbled ochre/ sienna brown body....what a beauty. What you going to do with that one, AKV ???

Thank you for the share of your marten , Ryan . Really like the dark ones .

I had one just like that about 30 years ago, except mine also had white feet and a mostly white nose too. I kept it and had it life-sized.

It went to the auction, along with the rest. Was a poor year for marten on my line, this year.

Oh ok ! It sure was beautiful, AKV . One like that I would have wanted the skin all together, head, legs and all.

Sorry to hear about the auction results , AKV . For all the hard work that goes into them, you all deserve handsome compensation.

WB, what rare amazing beauty you have there! Those ivory feet....beautiful full tail. Thank you for sharing that one

How fascinating....how they ever turn out that way ?

Im sure our biologists here, and some others who are also just as knowledgeable, would have valued input on this.

I was also able to choose a brighter orange one to go on my hat's design, in the very back, so that the three dark brown/black full tails draping down from the crown will just pop in contrast against that bright orange.

Unfortunately, the way the season here, (opens Dec.1), and the last receiving date for the auction, (mid-january), gives us limited time to harvest, prep and dry, seal pelts and ship.

You dry your seal pelts ??

Well, you know,....tagged. we have to have marten sealed by adfg, down here.

Ofcourse Alaska Viking dries his seal pelts. He has all that energy from eating that rich seal meat he has to do something to burn it off. Unless he makes seal hats or coats.

LOL! No seal, here. But a pain to have to "TAG" a common marten.

or an exceptional one for that matter

I figure this is a nice place to put up a picture of a throat patch with a little billy white toes.



Probably enough there to make a hat.

Wowzers! That’s a beauty

Wolverine?

Wow, Dirt !

Look at all that fluffy fur ! A beauty of gold in necklace bling !

Yes with twinkle toes there, he would make a hat ! I see his buddy just in the backdrop too .

Well done , Dirt !

Thank you for sharing ! Id love to have one

Nice haul T4E.Like the dark marten.

trapped4ever,
Beautiful! It's almost a shame to ship it off. Talk about eye-candy.

Eye candy indeed , Waggler !

Trapped4ever,

What a journey it has been ....I cannot thank you enough for sharing your amazing season with me ...an appreciative observer, and in total exuberance all along the way as you caught all those amazing animals .

And you do this every season.

What a unique place you have , and how you take such good care of the populations to insure future , prime quality animals .

A shining example of real love of the land, stewardship of land and animals, and in loving what you do so well.

To take the time out of your busy season to help me in my quest for something that began as art in a hat of unique makeup, but along the way, went so much deeper, in learning , appreciating the history, the talent, the sheer depth of knowledge that goes into such lovely fur ....the multi dimensional depth of history that will make an article of clothing mean so much ....the handling of those furs, the timing of trapping, the varied trap sets, the market values, the preserving of the species for future assurance of continued gain and beauty, year after year.

You are truly in a league of your own , trapped4ever.

And thank you, for taking time for me , in sharing your life experience this season , always showing a smile, and knowing just what I have been after in pairing the colour tones Ive had in mind.

And even putting up with my eccentric quirks, like my efforts to keep track of certain marten by naming them , you followed me patiently in remembering those, Miss OJ, who turned out to be Mr. OJ, a bright orange , Black Gold , Miss Sable....

I was as happy in free abandon as a child , soaking in the moments in every photo , all the colours that came to their summit of beauty after you cleaned and fluffed each one to perfection.

Thank you, for your patience . And explaining things, biology detail, working fur, everything . Sharing your stories, thoughts, special adventures along the way. And how you help others so much to learn and appreciate the legacy of trapping.

I never imagined in seeing so many colours , also sporting those bright orange/yellow throat necklace bling . I am fascinated in those markings. As well as providing me with the bright tassel ends to the ties of the hat that will shine out against the main bodies of each fur so well.

Not just a garment, but what it all means. Art in talents of many hands , from the trapper, to the tanner, to the furrier. Lifetimes of history in meaning , dovetailing together.

And this is just the midway point in this enjoyable sojourn. Step by step. Enjoying every bit of this process.

I cannot wait to see them in my hands ....

Nothing like the real thing. Plastic petroleum fur isn't even on the radar in comparison.

Thank you, trapped4ever, for putting up with this adult who has been as excited as a child , leaping for joy in applause the whole time.

As always, thank you to you all, who have contributed to this interest and posting your shots here , and anywhere on the forum. I appreciate every single one . Please continue and feel free to post your catches and thoughts.

We are a Tribe , and proud of who we are and in enjoying what we all do in this remarkable life we live, all together.

Wonderful tribute to a wonderful fur bearer, Sharon.
And yes, T4E is indeed one of a kind, and incredibly generous with his knowledge and time.

trapped4ever, do you tumble your marten? They sure look nice.

While searching around on my camera a few minutes ago for some other pictures I found a picture of throat patches I took early this season.
These are all from the southern southeast mainland.

Waggler, those are beauties too ! And very dark coats ! Ive been noticing when they are that rich deep brown/black, the orange/yellow patches just pop in contrast. The lighter classic ochres , which are gorgeous too, can have the exact same intense necklace bling colour tones, but because of the lighter overall coat colour, it doesnt seem as bright , though it actually is.

Some of yours there remind me of those very dark European marten, with jet black heads . The large orange necklaces they sport just glow ! Someday Id love to see one of those in living colour. I know Jack has seen them in his travels , how fortunate he has been !

Thank you for sharing these !

Crazy color variations on that island. Marten eye candy.

Wow, this is a real treat for those that have been given the gift of synesthesia.

Isn't it all simply breathtaking ? ! I could sit on the floor of that shop and loose myself amidst all those soft colours !

See, now you know the challenge I had in choosing- they are simply gorgeous !

The time and work that goes into such beauty refined.....

Splendid animals, and work in handling them to perfection, T4E . I still love the ears pinned that way, every time I see them .

My bright OJ posted above, perfectly suitcased , such a rare sight , in the winter tones of dusky blues , Paynes Grey and white

Every step in progress is a mighty thing to observe and appreciate....and happily share with this talented Tman Tribe.

Marten are as the northern lights......all unique , varied, beautiful, and no two alike. Especially in the necklace bling ! Which also affords very efficient ID in each individual , giving them their own face in ownership of their part of the bush.

Biologists often name their subjects , to know who they work with in the field. And , to be able to keep track of mine, in placing them on the garment, as well as admiring their unique individual makeup, I have followed suit. Heck, boats , cars and planes are named....so why not ?

These aren't just pretty faces , but also tell their stories .

The lineup is as follows....and the pics are below ...starting from the left .....

Miss Sable, a gorgeous glossy female , a rich dark red/brown beauty , OJ, who's bright orange will be in the very back , to showcase the dark tails resting down the surface , in striking contrast....then Black Gold....a magnificent male who's dark fur is sprinkled with gold/orange hairs, giving himself a rare metallic show sheen muscle car look ....next, deep brown Big Bad John , AK Fire , Black Ice, Northern Light , Pearl, and Suitcase







Nothin' like the real thing !

From here, on to the tanner !

I thought this image would go well with the subject at hand

Just done for Trapper's Post next issue.

Thinking of the variety of beautiful colours to choose from presented a challenge in the final decision , and I'm always preferring to present the most contrasting , in-depth tones possible.

Feet always fascinate me, and the seemingly flat toes of marten are amazingly bendable in wrapping around a branch in grip power. Without the hide, they appear as long nimble " fingers ", to me. No wonder they climb in any direction so well ! Otherwise, on level ground, they appear tidy in flat, round , more uniform shape.

The journey of my furs are still being given their TLC from Moyles , waiting in excited expectation .

Very nice !!!!! Hopefully he won't get pitch in his fur

Thank you, Sir Ken !

He carries a pitch cleaner and comb around for the bad days, Im sure

How much for the picture? Very nice. Your a great painter.

Thank you, CC, pm sent.

Sharon -

Can hardly wait to see what wonderful artistic magic you bring to those tanned pelts from the northland. Once again, you've captured the marten fantastically in your newest rendition. Like Ken, however, I cringe to think that guy might get another pitch-ball or two in his silky coat. He's beautiful, girl!

Jack

Ping ! Jack !

Thank you, kind sir, for your appreciation. When someone such as yourself deems the work acceptable, I know I got it right .

And yes, I cannot wait to feel that thick gorgeous fur in my own hands , instead of drooling on my screen at the photos !

Admiring the depth of colour tones , separating outer fur to admire the tone changes beneath...seeing the glossy shine of guard hair in the light ...like the northern lights as they swirl and shimmer.

Talented, nice guy , Temple, in Alaska, who will build the hat will send me back the scraps , and I shall admire the faces of those furs , how artistically T4E pins the ears ,so neat. Im not sure what I'll do with the scraps, but I'll think of something.

I think this marten coats his fur with olive oil before he heads out , so that pitch will comb out that much easier on his bad hair days

Well there ya go !

Look at those beauties ! I can see Black Gold with his metallic gold flecked dark coat !

Moyles does such fine work .

But they were so nicely cleaned and fluffed to begin with, as I figured, they look pretty much the same !

Thank you, T4E , for such a fun surprise !

The first phase is accomplished !

You chose wisely!

Very nice Sharon-cant wait to see the hat.

Thanks AKV , Boco .....only because I have such wonderful, talented peeps to help !

The most difficult challenge of all, is cleaning my screen of fingerprints . Since I haven't been able to pet one of the hundreds of furs Ive been admiring all this time ! I keep reaching to touch them !

OK, heres the lineup. All done up to perfection, from T4E to Moyles !

Left to right- Black Ice,Northern Light, Big John, OJ, Miss Sable, Pearl, Black Gold.




Dang......gotta clean off my screen again......

Lol.

Here are a few taxidermy specimens from this season. I'll try and get some better pictures, once I get the rest of the fur put up.

Nice haul, my friend. Are you sending them my way, (Alaska Seaplanes)?
I can keep an eye on them.

Look at all those lovelies ! The feet and ears are perfect. The necklace bling on some are amazing !

Great work, every time, T4ever .

Oh, and mine are lounging near AKnative's work table, being admired as they shake out the wrinkles , very near to begin my hat . Just finishing up deciding who goes where in the lineup . AKnative has had to keep them from quibbling amongst themselves , of who gets to be up front

Sharon your drawings are amazing. I cannot believe how you capture the life in the animal with a pencil. Beautiful work and thank you for sharing. I know what you mean about their feet/ paws/ hands. I once had a wolverine grab my axe out of my hand with his paws. I told him out loud " I'm glad I didn't poke you with my pistol".

T4ever...nice haul as usual on the furs. Ya get what ya put into it. Your different marten color tones are crazy.

Wow, awesome looking fur t4e!

Sharon, can't wait to see the hat, it should be a beauty.

Thank you JR , as one artist to another, we both know and appreciate the time , observation of wildlife, and practice to capture an image in our minds. Sure admire your art too and all the different mediums you place your images , in metal, antlers .

I saw that encounter as a movie in my mind as you described that wolverine ! What a video that would have made !



ST, keeping it updated .

I caught a few up here in North Idaho this year and they almost all had large bright orange or yellow throat patches like that. None had orange feet or tail tips though.

That is indeed an anomaly.

Here are a few more.....

^^^^
Now that is a nice pile of marten!

You have to love the variety in color of the marten T4E puts up.

My oh my !!! Just saw all these beauties this morning.

You sure do know how to bring them in, T4E!

I have that old feeling again of wanting to sit on the floor, and enjoy every one of them and those colours. I don't believe I have seen such colour variety and thick gorgeous marten fur all in one place , from anywhere.

Well done , you are a diligent trapper .

Dang.....gotta clean my screen again....

The summit of the journey ....

I have been waiting for the right weather , mainly full sun, to show this fur to it's best ! I never complain of clouds and rain , especially if things become dry , but between my work and the time, I was finally able to set up my cam and take some outside shots .

I needed something to occupy my hands , and in being at the entry of the wilderness , that has been very active for both species of bears this spring , I thought I would include my Mossburg 500 12 g. .....just for contrast . It is also the area where F&G transports grizzlies from Glacier Park who bother the tourists , breaking into stuff , etc. So they are accustomed to people and relatively unafraid . In the new area they can keep to themselves , though at times just continue to find cabins to raid . Fun.....

What an amazing journey a garment travels , from the trapper to the wearer !

I have learned so much along the way, with T4ever's patience and willingness to explain how he cares for his lines , such a successful custodian of all the animal populations that he manages so well, his fishing seasons also.

Many , many thanks to all , offering to help with their catches , which made my choice very challenging . To those who shared in the fun with their helpful information and photos in this sandbox.

T4ever , a true custodian of the habitat he knows so well, and his generosity . Moyles , Otterman , who kindly pointed me to the guy who was perfect for the building , AKnative ...you did outstanding work , as you do on all your fur garments ! A kind man to work with, also patient with my details of which individuals I wanted where , though appreciating the artist in him, I also wanted his own direction and choices along the way. What brilliant work you have done ! Thanks to Jack, for his depth added in knowledge of marten worldwide , also Sir Ken , JR, Otterman , for their encouragement .

Caught in Alaska, built in Alaska .

Doing this photo shoot, in the warm sun , I felt immediately how warm this fur really is. Fortunately, I didn't have to wear it too long to get the shots to sift through.

It is so different in its combination of fur tones, that I wanted to show all sides, flaps tied up, and flaps down . AKnative used different individuals for each side of the flaps, making the colour tones beautiful in contrast. Very unique all around.

Full sun just brings to life the rich dimension of the fur , in colours and texture. The bright lighting wasn't good for me, as I am very much darker than the over exposed lighting , but it sure brings the fur to life , regardless.

I simply adore this hat , the fur, the stories and immense talent of everyone , straight away from the trapper. I have a few fur hats, but this one will always be exquisite far and above them , a "crowning " beauty I will cherish always.

Pics to show soon .

First , flaps tied up. Nice contrast against the very dark browns in the panels behind them. These ochre ones , are sewn in perfect blend to the dark brown individuals on the tops. What an outstanding job AKnative did on the tassels , using all that bright necklace bling , seen just behind the flap.




Flaps down. The large male, Big John really showcases the front . Along with Black Gold's metallic hairs among the rich brown, along side.
Just love how the fur flows in contour. Love the dorsal lines in the centers. The fur is unbelievably glossy, a high sheen that highlights in ripples with movement in the sun.The blending of the ochre furs on the flaps can be seen flowing to perfection into the dark panels. Awesome stitching throughout , Temple ! Your choice of the liner inside is great too. Fits perfectly.






I could see this in my mind the whole time , as soon as T4ever caught that bright OJ. How well his panel would show those glossy tails .





The talent that fills Mr Paul's Tman Tribe is absolutely astounding, unsurpassed. I'm just happy to be in the cello section of this orchestra, one very happy client .



Fur....nothin' like the real thing.

Very nice !!!!

Better be careful out in that country. Some Red Tail hawk will try to take it off your head

Fair enough, then I just point and say " PULL" !

Nice hat.

Thank you, FL cracker in AK, marten are sure amazing colourful things .

Marten are the funnest animals to trap for me. Not too much work to make the sets when you have a system, easy to skin, flesh, and stretch, kids love them, and they are just amazing little animals.

Kezia, my little girl is attracted to their fur as well. Here she is with her toy hairdryer styling the hair on a thawing marten.

What a precious photo ! Kezia is having such fun, helping . I can imagine how great kids will be in handling fur , starting out so young in learning.

Marten would be so much easier for them to handle , compared to other animals . Thank you for that share .

I would still love to have the experience of seeing one of those bright orange individuals , glowing as the sun as it leaps in the muted blues,greys and white tones of winter . I am hoping , with so many trappers having their cameras , or iphones at the ready, someday, someone will record that and share for us all to enjoy.

Sharon , I really did some thinking when you approached me about this project and was really happy to be able to point you to Temple it has been a joy for both my wife and I to watch him grow and develop as a sewer. He use to just come by and hang out at our table For hours in Fairbanks and wish he could trap and sew we kept encouraging him to just get out and do it . He has come a long way and every year he still comes by only now he usually has a table of his own someplace in the building. Good job Temple beautiful hat

Aw shucks, thanks you guys!

I second that!! Awesome job Aknative!! Looks great!! Sounds like a very happy customer, with your custom work. Now we all know where to send those wanting marten hats built. Glad the project found the right guy for the job.
I think we are both glad Sharon is happy with the final product, as she had the vision of what she wanted, it just took a team effort to bring that vision to reality ; )

Sharon,
Well that was quite a journey , from your original post, looking for fur to build this hat, to the final product. I think 2 years or so has elapsed? Fun to know where at least a little of my fur has ended up. Glad you ended up with just what you wanted!

Well done, all! Sometimes it takes a village!

Otterman, so glad seeing the talent in Temple right away, years ago . Often it takes an artist to see the potential of another in the making. And it is daunting to admire the refined talents of others , when just starting out learning a craft , young or older.

Encouragement from people as yourself means all the world to give it your best try. In his videos and speaking with him, I can tell he is very conscientious in his accomplishments .

We are all proud of him and look forward to his shared life in videos.

T4ever, that's right, it has been some time, though profound and rare good things, that offer once in a lifetime happiness , are worth the wait to attain .... worth every mile....

I'm sure it is fun for you to see how your furs make such beautiful things . Just as sometimes I too get to see how a client has matted and framed one of my illustrations , how nicely it goes with their decor.

I can only imagine a coat made of those colourful guys that you trap ! Contrasting trim and design, they wouldn't need to be dyed as so much modern fur is for varied reasons with designer styled garments .

Yes, AV, sometimes it does take a village , adds to the fun !

Here is the colour variety where I trap.

Very good colour variety, Scooter ! You really accented that by presenting them in tone order.

Marten variety are among my favorite animals, along with wolverine.

Thank you for the share .

Anyone who catches or has others , and just info, are sure welcome to continue this sandbox addition , and share them here . I enjoy it all .

I was not going to trap marten this year, due to the low market, but Sharon has inspired my trapping partner and I to make hats for our families. I've always wanted some, and with the market like it is, there's no better time.

Crikey, Cracker, you're in for fun times and wonderful journeys.

Yes make hay....er catch fur while the sun shines in opportunity.

The skies the limit on arrangements, hide colours and styles .

I'm sure all here would love to enjoy the fun along the way , too

Here is an odd one for you, Sharon. This white line continues out of the chest blaze, wraps around the side, and nearly goes up to the dorsal line.

That is unbelievable !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When OkieKajun came up and trapped with me in 2010...I think.........he caught a marten with that exact same mark in the exact same place.

Might even have a picture somewhere.

What are your theories ?


Was it a male ?

T4E, I want him !!!! Save him for me ! With feet , mouth and those ears please ! Taxi done. (without the fleas,lice and scorpions )

Just to hang on the wall , not for actual taxi work.

Old coni wound?

T4E, I see how it flows out of that necklace bling ! Love it ! Hes mine ! Thank you T4E....I knew your artist's eye would know what I like !